Just wondering what others thoughts were on this matter...

I brought my first show dog a few years ago and due to my inexperience / not being known within the breed, the breeder suggested owning the dog in partnership so that she could have a male by her line available at stud, she was well known and often had stud enquiries, we would pay half of the health tests and get half of the stud fee each, I would get pick of the litter etc etc (I would never do it again).

However, at 5 months he started showing signs of problems, his breeder then had no interest and he has since been diagnosed with elbow dysplasia and cruciate ligament disease in his knee. Both of these required big operations at a specialist referral centre, revists to the specialist, hydrotherapy courses following surgery, his insurance only covered so much and I had to pay the rest. He still didn't do very well and at 5 years old is now on daily painkillers and regular blood tests which are costing a fair bit as the insurance no longer covers him and we have to pay for everything relating to these conditions (probably around £5000 so far) but he is our boy, we love him and hes just a pet dog now. His breeder has never offered to contribute towards helping to pay for some of his treatment and well we've never really asked, we just got him what he needed !

From previous posts this is the same breeder who is refusing to remove endorsements off our bitch even though we met the health test requirements I just started thinking seens as hes in joint ownership should she have had some obligation ? Its particularly annoying now with the endorsement issue with our bitch as I feel we've been very lenient over our poor boy :/

Usually the person who the dog lives with is responsible for all every day costs, and in the eyes of the law you would be the owner, regardless of what the KC registration says. Did you have a contract? Were the parents elbow scored? I bred a pup that was diagnosed with and needed surgery for ED, I was absolutely horrified and felt really bad about it (still do!). However both the parents scored 0 on elbows. The owner has been wonderful and when she wanted another pup I let her have one for half price.

Did you have any sort of written contract saying that the dog would be part-owned between you?  Or specifying who would pay for what, in situations like this? 

I'd suggest giving Trevor Cooper at Dog Law a call about this and your other issue too - you can have a phone consultation for about £50 I think, and it would probably give you a lot of answers with both situations.